Heterologous reconstitution of the biosynthesis pathway for 4-demethyl-premithramycinone, the aglycon of antitumor polyketide mithramycin

Bibliographic Details
Title: Heterologous reconstitution of the biosynthesis pathway for 4-demethyl-premithramycinone, the aglycon of antitumor polyketide mithramycin
Authors: Daniel Zabala, Lijiang Song, Yousef Dashti, Gregory L. Challis, José A. Salas, Carmen Méndez
Source: Microbial Cell Factories, Vol 19, Iss 1, Pp 1-12 (2020)
Publisher Information: BMC, 2020.
Publication Year: 2020
Collection: LCC:Microbiology
Subject Terms: Streptomyces argillaceus, Mithramycin, Premithramycinone, Aureolic acid, Acyl-CoA ligase, Cyclase, Microbiology, QR1-502
More Details: Abstract Background Mithramycin is an anti-tumor compound of the aureolic acid family produced by Streptomyces argillaceus. Its biosynthesis gene cluster has been cloned and characterized, and several new analogs with improved pharmacological properties have been generated through combinatorial biosynthesis. To further study these compounds as potential new anticancer drugs requires their production yields to be improved significantly. The biosynthesis of mithramycin proceeds through the formation of the key intermediate 4-demethyl-premithramycinone. Extensive studies have characterized the biosynthesis pathway from this intermediate to mithramycin. However, the biosynthesis pathway for 4-demethyl-premithramycinone remains unclear. Results Expression of cosmid cosAR7, containing a set of mithramycin biosynthesis genes, in Streptomyces albus resulted in the production of 4-demethyl-premithramycinone, delimiting genes required for its biosynthesis. Inactivation of mtmL, encoding an ATP-dependent acyl-CoA ligase, led to the accumulation of the tricyclic intermediate 2-hydroxy-nogalonic acid, proving its essential role in the formation of the fourth ring of 4-demethyl-premithramycinone. Expression of different sets of mithramycin biosynthesis genes as cassettes in S. albus and analysis of the resulting metabolites, allowed the reconstitution of the biosynthesis pathway for 4-demethyl-premithramycinone, assigning gene functions and establishing the order of biosynthetic steps. Conclusions We established the biosynthesis pathway for 4-demethyl-premithramycinone, and identified the minimal set of genes required for its assembly. We propose that the biosynthesis starts with the formation of a linear decaketide by the minimal polyketide synthase MtmPKS. Then, the cyclase/aromatase MtmQ catalyzes the cyclization of the first ring (C7–C12), followed by formation of the second and third rings (C5–C14; C3–C16) catalyzed by the cyclase MtmY. Formation of the fourth ring (C1–C18) requires MtmL and MtmX. Finally, further oxygenation and reduction is catalyzed by MtmOII and MtmTI/MtmTII respectively, to generate the final stable tetracyclic intermediate 4-demethyl-premithramycinone. Understanding the biosynthesis of this compound affords enhanced possibilities to generate new mithramycin analogs and improve their production titers for bioactivity investigation.
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 1475-2859
Relation: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12934-020-01368-3; https://doaj.org/toc/1475-2859
DOI: 10.1186/s12934-020-01368-3
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/50b1fd8fbd2a4622a5923c0d6b17dc07
Accession Number: edsdoj.50b1fd8fbd2a4622a5923c0d6b17dc07
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
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More Details
ISSN:14752859
DOI:10.1186/s12934-020-01368-3
Published in:Microbial Cell Factories
Language:English